Blood donors eligible to win Red Sox vs. Yankees tickets

Some say time may be running out on the New York Yankees. But it also could run out for Red Sox fans if they pass up a chance to donate blood to the Red Cross and maybe win tickets to Saturday’s big matchup in Fenway Park.

The American Red Cross of Maine confirmed Wednesday it is raffling off a pair of prime seats to Game 3 of the championship series and the long-anticipated pitching duel between future Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox and Roger Clemens of the Yankees.

Anyone who donates blood by Friday will have an opportunity to win the tickets.

People who want to donate blood may do so at the Bangor Red Cross Donor Center, 900B Hammond St., across from Bangor International Airport. Blood also may be donated during the same period at the Portland Donor Center, 524 Forest Ave. Donors must be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health.

To be eligible for the drawing, prospective donors need only present themselves as donors. Even if they are rejected because of a low iron count or for other reasons, their names will still be entered in the drawing.

“Everyone who presents themselves to donate is eligible,” Dawn Gaffka, the Red Cross manager of donor recruitment, said Wednesday from Portland. “You can’t just walk in and fill out a card. You have to present yourself as a donor.”

Gaffka said the Red Cross was particularly in need of type O donors because the blood supply for that category was “critical.” Gaffka said the Red Cross had only a day’s supply of type O blood on hand.

The Red Cross and Red Sox participated in a community blood drive at Fenway Park earlier this year to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as part of the Red Cross’ nationwide Save a Life Tour. Gaffka said more than 480 donors took part.

Gaffka said the tour was such a success that Red Cross agencies from northern New England approached the Red Sox about tying a blood drive to the American League Championship Series. She said the Red Sox agreed, and a Boston bank provided the pair of tickets for the raffle.

“I’m told these are really great seats,” Gaffka said. “They’re not the bleachers. They belong to a bank, after all.”

Blood donors from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts are eligible to participate in the raffle. The drawing will take place Friday, and the tickets will be delivered to the winner in time for them to make it to the main gate at Fenway Park in Boston for the 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, playoff game.

Gaffka said that even though the Red Cross was given “short notice because of the time the playoffs [between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics] took,” the response to the raffle has been dramatic.

She said donations started increasing once the word went out about the ticket raffle.

“We’re thrilled,” Gaffka said. “What’s nice is to see how happy people are about this. People are so excited.”

The Bangor Donor Center is open from noon to 7 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

For information call (800) Give Life.